Final results are in and the incumbents in the Miami Beach runoff are out.
Challenging candidates Michael Grieco and Joy Malakoff increased their early lead in absentee ballots and early voting to beat Commissioner Jorge Exposito and Mayor Matti Bower in their respective runoffs quite handily. Well, with a wider margin than the newly elected mayor got in the primary, winning a mandated recount by less than one half a percentage point.
In what looks like a vote for change — well, change wanted by 16 percent of the voters, or just over 7,200 of the Beach’s 90,000 residents — Malakoff got 60 percent of the vote to Bower’s 40. Grieco’s early lead grew by two points to 54 percent over Expo’s 46, which is lower than even activist Elsa Urquiza lost by (47 percent).
Newcomer Micky Steinberg — not such a newcomer to politics, as wife of State Rep. Richard “Sext Me” Steinberg, as she is to city government — beat out activist Urquiza, also growing her early lead by two points.
The only person having a better night tonight than the three winners are is Mayor Elect Philip Levine, who had very openly supported both Grieco and Malakoff and must be jumping for Joy (and a little less so for Michael) right about now.
All three of the new commissioners were leading early, after solely the absentee ballots and early voting were counted. And all three of the new commissioners leave the Beach without any Hispanic representation, something that was an issue during the race.
“Phil has taken back the beach from the Hispanics,” posted activist Carla Probus on twitter, referring to Levine’s “Let’s Take Back the Beach” campaign that some complained had an anti-Hispanic bent.
Grieco scoffed at that notion for a second time when Ladra called the new commissioner to congratulate him.
“If it wasn’t for my Hispanic supporters, I would not be elected,” Grieco told Ladra, adding that about “80 percent” of the people celebrating with him Tuesday night at his office were Hispanics. “They helped us win. They worked the polls for us. Some volunteered for us.”
Us?
That leads Ladra right to the concern that many, including yours truly, has that this seeming desire for a full sweep change at City Hall by voters will give the mayor elect the rubber-stamping commission he needs to push his agenda. Malakoff and Grieco will join Commissioners Ed Tobin, Levine’s attorney, Deede Weithorn and Jonah “Potty Mouth” Wolfson — who a few say is looking at state office for his next gig — as votes in his proverbial pocket.
“Levine now has a super majority in Miami Beach and there is nothing anyone can do to stop him,” said Steve Berke, a third candidate who came in third Nov. 6, in a Facebook post.
“But, Micky can be a hero, if she has it in her,” Berke added, referring to Steinberg, who many hope will be independent to the mayor and his slate, seeing as how she may be the only one who doesn’t owe him anything.
Steinberg could not be reached for comment, but Grieco has a real opportunity to shiny up his early and promising political career if he stays as independent as he claims he is. And he told Ladra Tuesday night, before returning to loud celebratory revelry, that he was his own man.
“Look, Philip obviously helped me get elected, but he did so because he knows I’m an independent thinker,” Grieco told me. “He knows I’m smart and will make the right decision.
“I’m not beholden to anyone,” Grieco continued. “I’m a very independent person and he’s well aware of that. We don’t agree on everything and we’re not going to be voting as a block. It doesn’t work like that.”‘
The newly elected mayor and commissioners will be sworn in Nov. 25.
Matti Bower, Jorge Exposito out in Miami Beach runoff added by Ladra on
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